Can opener



July 24, 1928. 1,678,244

S. DAVIS ET AL CAN OPENER Filed Sept. 23, 1925 INVENTORS Home 5,

45 The cutter 10 is preferably circul'arand;

Patented July 24, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE.

SEWELL DAVIS. AND ALIEHONSE LA ION, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOBS TO I OLLY WIGGIN, INCL, OE NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION" OF DELAWARE.

can" ornmm.

Application filed September 23, 1925. sem na- 58,080.

The invention relates to can openers, and aims to provide improvements therein.v

The invention provides a can opener which I may-be held or supported manuallyand in which the physical effort of the user for operating itm'aybe applied with a mechania device which operates on a variety of sizes cal advantage and in a manner conducive to celerity of operation; The operation of the device is thereby easy and requires small exertion. The invention further provides and shapes. It 0 erates with facility on so-cal'led roundan square cans. The mvenment, the opener being shown in cutting" tion further provides a can opener of simple; construction and capable of being made and.

sold at a moderate price.

An embodiment of. the invention is illus Figure 1 is a side elevation of said embodl- I relation with a can.

7 Fig. 2 is a view partly in sideelevationand partly in section, and showing the position in which it is applied them 111* 1 crank 32 by which the shaft '30, and hence opener in the to the can.

Fig. 3 1s a cross-section on Fig. etis a Fig; 5 is a view showing the manner. of

Referring to said-drawings, numeral designates a cutter having a sharp edge 12 adapted to cut the. can body just below the seam a: where the top or end of the can is joined to the body, and 1,5.designates a feed and pressure roller (preferablyroughened as indicated) adapted. to bearon the flange at the back of the seam w and to draw the cutter 10 toward and to force it to 'cut ,1 through the can body (as shown infFig. 1) a and to be turned to propel or feed the opener 'around' the edge'of-the can, the cutter -10 continuing its cutting as it is pulled around with the opener.

,, pivotally mounted on a. pin 18, sons to turn I as the opener is propelled around theedge of the. can by the feed and pressure roller 15- An abutment 20, preferably in the form of.

' 'a roller mounted on the vpin 18, serves to limit the displacement of the opener, under the pressureof the pressure and feed roller 15, and thereby enables the said roller 15 to trated in the accompanying'drawing,where "vided on the stoo bear'with sufficient force against the inside of the flange of the seem a: to feed the. opener as it is turned. The roller is conveniently formed integrally with the cutter 10, and

may serve to limit the penetration of the cutting edge 12 into .the can body.

The cutter 10, and pin 18 on which it is mounted, are mounted'on a handle or stock.

22 adapted to be clasped or encircled by the fingers and thumb-of one hand (see Fig. 5). v In order to'provide forthe separation of the cutter 10 and pressure and feed roller 15 to permit the opener tobe applied to the can, as shown in Fig. 2, the said roller 15 is conveniently mounted on a lever 25 piv-' oted to the "said lever or stock 22, as indicated at 2.71% The lever 25 is adapted to be grasped inzfthe hand at the same time asthe' lever or stock 22, the pressure or squeeze of the'fingers on the outer end of the lever I 25 drawing the opposite end; carrying thepressure and feed roller 15 toward the roller 20 and against theinside flange of the seam m, as shown in Fig. 1.

The, pressure and feed roller 15 is preferably mounted directly on a shaft 30 ournaled in the lever 25, and has at its end a sod' the roller 15, ma be turned. A handle 33 15 and cutter 10, and'theturning of the roll- ..er 15' and consequently the propulsion 'or feed ofthe opener around the can, to be',

rapidly and readily performed.

, v In order to hold theunderside of the pressure and feed roller out of contact withthe surface of the can end, or a strengthening rib thereon, a' sto 35 is conveniently pro- This stop may make contact with the can end through anantifriction device, such as the ball 37 shown.

22 behind the roller 15. v

To protect the edge 12' of 'thecutter and also to protect users, the said cutting edge maybe surrounded with a guard40.

For convenience and'economy of manufacture, the stock 22 andlever 25 may be of sheet metal bent U form. The lever 25 is conveniently fitted within the stock 22.

or projection 45 on the bracket, fits, and the- 'fPlD. 27 onwhich the lever 25 is pivoted is passed through the bracket.42 the pin 27 and notch .44 and rib 45 act together to hold the bracket. A single pin 27 thereby serves to assemble the stock 22, lever 25 and bracket 42.

To use the opener, the feed and pressure roller 15. and cutter 10 are-separated, and then placed over the flange formed by the seam m. The lever or stock 22 and lever 25 are then grasped in the hand and pressed together, bringing the roller 15 against the inner side of the flange of seam w and cansing the cutter 10 to cut through the side of the can body just below the seam. The roller 15 is pressed against the flange with sufiicient force to cause it to bite, and by turning the crank 32 with the other handj(Fig. 5), the opener as a whole is propelled around the can, the cutter 10 also turning on its axis 18-and cutting the side of the can as the'opener is propelled.

B resting or pressing the elbow of the hen which grasps the stock 22 against the side of the body, and with the forearm extending substantially straight out from the body, the arm is well braced, and enables the opener to be steadily and firmly held during the manipulation of the crank 32 by the other hand.

The diameter of the feed roller 15 parativel small, and is able to follow flanges 0 most any shaped can. Itis hence well adapted for opening cans of suchextremes as square and .round cans.

The inventive ideas may receive other embodiments than thatv herein specifically illustrate'd and described.

What is claimed-is:- 1

1. A can opener comprising a cutter and a feed and pressure roller .coacting with said cutter, a pair of levers on which said pressure roller mounted longitudinally of' cutter and said feed and. pressure roller are.

respectively mounted.- and by ,which said cutter and roller are adapted to be brought together from opposite sides of the seam of a can, a drive shaft carrying'said feed and the lever on which said'roller is mounted.

2. A can opener comprising a cutterand a feed and pressure rollericoacting with said cutter, a pair of levers ou -which said cutter and said feed and pressure 10llBl? morespectively mounted and by which saidgoutter and .roller are adapted tov be brought together from opposite sides of tbeseam of a pressure roller mount is ,com-

can, a drive shaft carrying said feed and pressure roller mounted longitudinally of the lever on which said roller. is mounted,

and means for rotating said shaft at the end and roller are adapted to'be brought to gcther from opposite sides of the seam of a can, a drive'shaft carrying said" feed. and longitudinally of the lever on which said roller is mounted, and a crank for rotating said shaft at the end of said lever opposite the end at which said roller is located. 1 v

4. A can opener comprising a cutter and a feed and pressure roller coactingwith said cutter, a pair of levers on which said cutter and said feed and pressure roller are respectively mounted and by which said outter and roller are adapted to be brought together from opposite sides of the seam of a can, a drive shaft carrying said feed and pressure roller mounted longitudinally of the lever on which said roller is mounted, and a crank for rotating said shaft at the end of said lever opposite the end at which said roller is located, said levers in-closed position being adapted tobe grasped in one hand and said crank turned by the other hand. 7

*5. A can opener comprising a. cutter and a feed and pressure roller coasting with said cutter, a pair of levers on which said cutter and said feed and pressure roller are respectively mounted and by which said cutter and roller are adapted to be brought together' from opposite sides of the seam of a can, a drive s aft carrying said feed and pressure roller mounted longitudinally of the lever on which said roller is mounted,

cutter, a pair of levers on which said cutter and said feedand pressure roller are respec tively mounted and by which said cutterandroller are adapted to be brought togetherfrom opp'ositesides of the seam of a can,

' a drive-shaft carrying said feed and pressure roller mounted longitudinally of the lever on which said roller is mounted, and a crank for-rotating said shaft at the end of said lever opposite the end at which said-roller is located, said levers in closed position bein adapted to be grasped in one hand-and sai crank turned. by the other hand, and a stop and means for rotating said shaft at the end of said lever opposite the end at which said adapted to engage said can to determine the position of said opener during the cutting operation. a

7. A can opener comprising a cutter and a feed and pressure roller coacting with said cutter, a drive shaft carrying said feed and pressure roller, said shaft being mounted longitudinally on said 1ever,and a guard projecting beyond the edge of said cutter for protecting the cut-ting edge thereof.

8. A can opener comprising a. stock'ada ted to be grasped, held and supported y hand during manipulation, a cutter, a feed and pressure roller adapted to press said cutter into and through the side of a can; body and to propel the openeraround the can, causing the cutter to cutas it is moved with the opener, a. bracket for holding said cutter, and a connection between said-stock and bracket comprising a rib and notch petween said parts, and a pin passing through and to propel the opener around the can,

causingthe cutter to out as it is moved with the opener, said roller being mounted on a lever pivoted to said stock, a bracket for holding said cutter, and a connection between said stock and bracket at two points, the' connection at one im; comprising a in "passing through said bracket and said ever and serving as a ivot for said lever; In witness whereo we have hereunto signed our names.

- SEWELL DAVIS.

ALPHONSE LA FON. 

